The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-06-03

NEw YonK, May 2-ne steamship
Britannia. Il the White Star Line, which
left Now York for Liverpool on Wednes-
day last. ran into the steamship Celtic, OF
the same line. bound for New York. on
Thursday morning. during dense fog. on
Nantucket The Celtic was struck just
abaft the mizzen rigging. and badly dana
damaged. The Britannia. however, sus-
tanned even greater injury, and was
Obliged to turn back 70 this port, arriving
on the bar with the Celtic about noon
yesterday. The captains Of both vessels
were on the lookout for cthsr vcssls and
icebergs a. the time Of the collision, the
fog being unusually heavy.
Four grown persons and little girl, al
stccrago passengers on tina Britannia,
wsre killed and seven persons injured.
Two OF the latter. VIM. Lawler. aged
sixty-fve. and Patrick Burke, aged forty
I'VE. had their arms and legs broken, and
were brought to St vincenrs Hospital,
this city, for treatment The physicians
refuse to Let them talk about the accident
The mail boat which brought them up,
also brought number OF the Britannia
passengers. including c. r. Huntington.
The two dissbled steamships are an
chorcd on the Sandy Hook lightship
The little girl referred TO was the
daughter Of Mrs. Robinson, OF Fall River,
Mass. She was knocked overheard and
drowned. Her little brother hal his arm
crushed. Mrs Robinson was with her
children on the Britannia.
The collision occurred about eighty
miles from the main land, about on Nam
tucket The Britannia was on her course,
heading east by north. while the Celtic
was evidently lost. and had her bow
vomiting about south. The first accounts
OF the disaster prove 70 have been incor-
rect in stating that the Celtic was run
into. The Celtic struck the Britannia on
che port side At the m xzen rigging, and
only few feet astern Of the after end Of
the boiler room The mizxen rigging, iron
work and all, was wrenched from its
fasfcnings. The rail was torn from its
foundation as far aft as the jigger-masI
and the after turtle back was carried into
the air and overheard as though It was
made Of pasteboard-
The blow was glancing one, the PROV
Of the Celtic striking at less than right
angle. As the striking steamship glanced
along the side it rebounded twice in its
course smashing two small boats 70
pieces and bending the heavy iron force
pump that stood near the butchers quar-
tiers over against the deck like piece of
tin As the bow struck the pump II
caught Storage passenger, whose name
Is not known. as he lrresolutely IN his
excitemenO was unable to get out OF the
way in time, crushed him against the iron
and cut the body completely In two
A little girl OF about eleven years named
Robinson. who was with her mother and
brother On her way TO England for visit.
was also crushed BY the bow. her face
and breast being split open through the
middle.
The scenes that followed are variou sly
described. Mr.. T. Storey Smith, Of Boz
ton, passenger on the Britannia. was
seen ~ the 81. James Hotel after he had
been brought up with the other passen-
gers. both cabin and Storage, on the M al
boat He said:
There was very dense fog at the time
OF the collision. and horns were blow ne
continually. Between $50 and p m, on
Thursday. we heard the fog horn OF an.
other vessel / went on deck and peercd
eagerly into the mist. There was great
comnotioa on our deck ran to the port
bow, but il was not for several minutes
that could see anything. Then dis
tinguished the large black hull Of a
steamer bearing down on Us Signals 10
slow up were given on our vessel.
We were proceeding At about
regular fog speed while the
other steamer seemed to have little more
Roadway on. As the approaching vessel
discovered ~ she changed her cour<e
somewhat and struck Us oblquely abafi
the steerage gangway. Rebounding she
struck again and again, but with less force
each time, and finally she slipped along
under our stern and came up partly on
- - In~r
were evidently orders to launch boats. al.
though l heard none given, tor half q
dozen boats were manned and launched
The steersge passengers rushed for ths
boats, but were driven back
BY the officers aud crew and tho
ladies allowed 10 embark first Three
boat loads were taken TO the Celtic
and the fourth was ready, when Captain
Perry announ ced that there was no dan
ger Il sinking, as the damage was con
fired 10 the fourth compartment, which
was full Of water. This Quoted the pas
scngers. Mr.. Smith believed that thu
K>led numbered four adults and LITTLE
grl. Some OF the stecrage passenger
who are CHARTERED in lodging house Il
West street AZ the expense or the Whit
Star Line. tell different story, and CLAIM
that the crew did not behave well AM
MVnOpoLxtd the uQAt-. lueF also -,
that the fog was not 50 dense. but tina
tf p opcr caution had been observed tn
collision could Ia We been avoided.
The men OF the party sat around III
dizzy cfice of the lcdging-house until
late hour rchearsing over and over agai
their experience in the collision. Thcs
mea said that at the time Of the acciden
tie fog was not 90 thick but that the
couy see the Celtic two hundred feet o
more away. They charge that when c
forts were made to lower the boats N
gear ran foul and rusty. as though II ha
not been practlced In long time. Theg
WIS sudden rush, they said, for N
boats until Captain Perry drew his r.
volvcr and threatened TO shoot any ma
who attempted TO enter boat The crew
including tho fremen and stokcrs. wer
among the most prominent In the attemI
70 get into the boats Some OF them wei
very violent A few succeeded, althouq
there were Eot sufficient number Of If
preservers for the passengers. The.
men, they said. seized any that they coul
lay their hands on. One Of the me
s.rarrci life preservers around him an
was trying 70 get into . boat, when
passenger came up behind him and g